Use Links to Evaluate a Site
Most websites use links to help you move from their site
to other web pages. These links may be used to docu-
ment sources (think of them as the Internet equivalent
of footnotes) or simply to take you to more informa-
tion about the topic which may be of interest.
If there are links to other pages as sources, ask yourself
the following:
■Do the links work?
■Are they to reliable sources or only to other
locations on the same website?
■If they take you to more information on
the subject, are they well chosen and well
organized?
■Do the links represent other viewpoints?
■Do they indicate a bias?
If other pages link themselves to the page you are
considering as a source, ask yourself:
■Who links to the page? (read all points of view
if more than one may be found)
■How many links are there? (higher numbers
may generally be a good sign)
■What kinds of sites link to it (do they all repre-
sent the same point of view, giving the same
information)?
■Are there any links to directories? Are the direc-
tories themselves discriminating or do they
accept any and all sites?
Verify Reproduced Information
If the website includes quotes, statistics, or other infor-
mation purported to be from another source, check it
for accuracy. Never assume that simply because the
words or numbers are printed, they are correct.
Quotes that have been retyped may contain errors, have
been deliberately altered, or be complete fakes. The best
way to check is to find the information somewhere else,
preferably at its source.
For example, you find a website that claims the
Earth’s human population is decreasing. It cites an
expert who is quoted in the magazine Scientific Amer-
ican. You can go the magazine’s website and search its
archives for $7.95. Or, check with your public library,
which may have back issues, or a subscription to the
online archives so your search will be free.
Keep in mind that material reproduced from
another publication, if it is legitimate, will probably
include both a link to the original source (if it’s online),
and copyright information and permission to repro-
duce or reprint. If there is a link, be certain it is from
the original source.
Practice
Answer (T) true or (F) false for each of the following
statements.
Evaluating sources and content found on the Inter-
net is important because:
___ 1. authors who publish on the Internet are less
professional than those who publish in print.
___ 2. writers for the web are always biased.
___ 3. anyone can publish on the Internet; there is
no guarantee that what you are reading is
truthful or objective.
___ 4. information found in print is always more
accurate than that found on the Internet
Answer
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
–EVALUATING FACTS–
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In Short
In Lesson 7, you learned that thinking critically means
being armed with accurate information. The quality of
your solutions and decisions is only as good as the
information you use to make them. This lesson
showed how to evaluate that information, differenti-
ating between accurate, objective data, and that which
is false and/or biased.
We began by differentiating between fact and
opinion. Then, we looked at the source of information,
or the author. How can you trust the source? Only after
you examine his or her credentials and sources. Keep
a skeptical eye out for opinion posing as fact, inferior
research and documentation, and bias from every
source.
Focusing on the Internet, which can be a haz-
ardous place to find information, we explored ways of
evaluating any of the billions of web pages you may
come across in your research. You learned why it is
important to find the author and dates for each web-
site, as well as how to judge the accuracy of its content,
and how to use its links to further evaluate a site.
Critical thinking skills are enhanced when you
learn how to evaluate the information you receive.
Never assume something is true without checking first
and do not take for granted a source’s unbiased view-
point. Think for yourself!
–EVALUATING FACTS–
69
■Read an article printed in a magazine and note its author. Does the magazine itself tell you any-
thing about his or her credentials? Look up the author on the Internet to see if you can find what
expertise, if any, he or she has in the subject.
■The next time you hear a fact on a televised news story, try to substantiate it. Remember the rule
of threes: find it in three different sources before accepting it as fact.
Skill Building Until Next Time
WHAT IS PERSUASION? It is the act of using argument, reasoning, or appeal to get some-
one to take a course of action or change his or her point of view. Individuals try to per-
suade others to do things their way, to think like they think, and even simply to leave
them alone. You use persuasion techniques on a daily basis, whether you are aware of it or not. You are also
the target of those techniques. Perhaps you decided to ask for a raise. You felt you earned it, and went to
your boss with many examples of your work and the positive results you have achieved for your company.
In other words, you tried to make her think a certain way (that you are a great employee who deserves a
raise) by using evidence and examples to persuade her. But instead of getting a raise, you got to listen to her
explain how badly things were going at corporate headquarters. Her job was on the line. Stock prices were
down. She knew you would understand, being “one of our best and brightest,” why she could not increase
your salary. Your boss ended the conversation by using persuasion (including evidence and an emotional
appeal of flattery) to change your mind about the raise.
Persuasion also happens in more organized ways. Political groups use it to influence your vote and adver-
tisers use it to get you to buy certain products or services. When persuasion is particularly systematic and
LESSON
Persuasion
Techniques
LESSON SUMMARY
In this lesson, you will learn how to recognize persuasion techniques
used in speech, writing, and advertising. You will also find out how to
use those techniques to your advantage.
9
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organized, it is known as propaganda. Propaganda uses
many persuasion techniques at once to attempt to bring
about a change in a group of people.
Recognizing Persuasion
Techniques
Every day, you encounter many attempts to persuade
you. People in your life, such as your family, friends, and
colleagues at work, try to get you to change your mind
or do things their way. The media constantly gives you
information, which, in its content and delivery, may be
attempts to persuade you. Advertisers reach you on the
radio, billboards, television, Internet, and print mate-
rials, telling you what to buy. When you are aware of
these tactics and recognize how they are used you will
not be as likely to be manipulated by them.
The Art of Persuasion Has a
Long History
In fourth century BC Greece, Aristotle studied and
taught philosophy, science, and other subjects. In one
of his most famous works, The Art of Rhetoric (mean-
ing persuasion through language), he contends that the
ideal form of argument was through reason (called
logos). However, he also acknowledged two other pow-
erful techniques: an appeal to character (ethos) and an
appeal to emotion (pathos). These same persuasion
techniques are among the most successful and fre-
quently employed ones in use today.
■Logos: Appealing to Reason. This appeal is
successful because most people believe them-
selves to be logical and reasonable. When you
approach them as such, you acknowledge them
positively, and then make your argument based
on the assumption that any logical, reasonable
person would see things the way you do. An
appeal to reason might begin, “Of course we all
know that if we don’t do this, then that will
happen as a result.”
■Pathos: Appealing to Emotion. Aristotle
understood that there are non-rational compo-
nents of human behavior; in other words, not
everything we do is based on logic. Emotional
appeals can work in three different ways. First,
the speaker can express his or her passion on
the subject, hoping to influence others. Second,
the speaker can attempt to elicit an emotional
response from the listener, which will work to
persuade the listener. Third, the speaker can
both express his or her own emotions and
simultaneously work to arouse those of the lis-
tener. As an example, environmental groups
frequently use this appeal. You have probably
heard something like: “Thousands of baby seals
are brutally murdered for the skins, in front of
their horrified mothers, every day. Shouldn’t
we act now to save these innocent creatures?”
■Ethos: Appealing to Character. In this tech-
nique, Aristotle refers to the character of the
speaker, which must be proven worthy in the
eyes of the audience. In other words, for per-
suasion to work, the person doing the persuad-
ing must be seen as trustworthy, honest, and/or
intelligent. He or she earns credibility by dis-
playing a worthy character, one that will be
trusted and believed by the listener. For
instance, “During my twelve years of service in
the U.S. Navy, I learned how the military oper-
ates. I am the candidate with the most direct
and personal contact with our armed services,
–PERSUASION TECHNIQUES–
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